Delineation of isograds in siliceous dolomitic marbles along the Sharbot Lake – Frontenac terrane boundary of the Grenville Province, southeastern Ontario

Abstract

This study presents details of the mineralogy and petrology of siliceous, dolomitic marbles of the Sharbot Lake domain along the Frontenac terrane boundary in the Grenville Province of southeastern Ontario. The location of four mineral isograds in the marble and the related univariant reactions were identified in the Almonte – Carleton Place area. Delineation of the isograds is based on detailed mapping, petrographic analysis of coexisting mineral assemblages, and a polybaric T–XCO2 diagram calculated using thermobarometric data from associated gneissic rocks, where T is temperature and X is fluid composition. The T–X section is based on a field gradient of 32 °C/km. The isograds correspond to the first appearance of tremolite (5 dolomite + 8 quartz + H2O = tremolite + 3 calcite + 7 CO2), diopside (tremolite + 3 calcite + 2 quartz = 5 diopside + 3 CO2 + H2O), diopside + dolomite (tremolite + 3 calcite = dolomite + 4 diopside + H2O + CO2), and forsterite (diopside + 3 dolomite = 2 forsterite + 4 calcite + 5 CO2). Mineral assemblages above and below each isograd are described and relevant examples are shown. Results of this study are consistent with a mixed volatile fluid of a uniform composition during mid- to upper amphibolite-facies metamorphism.